


Heat of the Moment

by kingiamesbible



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy
Genre: Anakin is a little shit, Canon Divergence - Qui-Gon Lives, Domestic, Fainting, Fluff, Happy Ending, Humor, M/M, Obi Wan has a crisis, Post-The Phantom Menace, Pre-Attack of the Clones, idk how to tag, manbun related incidents, this is extremely self indulgent, this started off as a joke idk how this happened
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-04
Updated: 2016-05-04
Packaged: 2018-06-06 08:14:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,035
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6746302
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kingiamesbible/pseuds/kingiamesbible
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>On a return visit to Tatooine, Obi Wan reflects on days gone by and tries not to let his feelings or the heat get to him. Qui-Gon’s presence doesn't help much.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Heat of the Moment

**Author's Note:**

> I was watching a documentary on the making of the phantom menace and Liam Neeson had his hair tied in a bun at one point and my friends and I joked about how Obi Wan would react to Qui-Gon with that hairstyle, then I wrote a fic about it

Almost as soon as they stepped out of the ship, Obi Wan regretted his decision to accompany his friends back to Tatooine. The only reason he agreed to give Anakin time off training was because he thought it would be nice for him to see his mother again, but with the hot sand burning through his boots and the rays of the two suns beating against his skin, he decided that maybe he should have just stayed home.

It wasn't far from their ship to Ani’s old village, but the thick, stuffy air made the walk feel like hours. Obi Wan kept by Ani’s side, listening to his padawan babble on about his old friends and his mom, while staying silent himself to conserve energy. Padmé and Qui-Gon, who were tagging along for the visit, stayed slightly behind, also deciding not to talk. By the time they reached Shmi’s hut, they were all drenched in sweat and gasping for breath, their mouths dry, having finished all of their water halfway through the journey. Despite the merciless heat, Anakin seemed bright and bouncy as ever, and when Shmi opened the door, he ran into her arms with an energy that seemed impossible. His mother greeted him with the same amount of enthusiasm, and it made Obi Wan smile through his discomfort.

Thankfully, the inside of the hut was much cooler than the outside, as well as being dimmer so they no longer had to squint. Ani introduced Shmi and Obi Wan properly, and he told her all about how Ani’s training was going and how much he was progressing. As she listened, the pride in her face grew, and Obi Wan could see Ani beaming out of the corner of his eyes.

Although at first, Obi Wan had been reserved around him, he quickly grew to really care for Anakin, and soon the two of them were inseparable. Even out of training hours, they'd always spend time together, and Obi Wan could see Ani growing stronger and wiser every day. He was certain his affection was evident in his voice. It was similar to the devotion often heard whenever Qui-Gon spoke about Obi Wan’s achievements to someone else.

Now that Qui-Gon had no need to train Obi Wan anymore, they saw slightly less of each other. Qui-Gon hadn't taken another padawan, but the council kept pestering him to, and Obi Wan couldn't help but feel a little annoyed by this. He knew he was being irrational and their bond wouldn't break or falter, but he was territorial. It was something he hadn't been able to shake since he was a youngling, which was why he practically hissed at Anakin when Qui-Gon first offered to take him on as well. He missed having Qui-Gon as a teacher. He missed the sense of belonging he got whenever they were together. 

Once they had all caught up, with Padmé offering an update on the state of the senate and it's affairs, Shmi rose and announced that she was going to prepare dinner. They all jumped up to help, and split jobs between them, much to Shmi’s slightly surprised amusement. Qui-Gon volunteered to brave the fiery outdoors again to fetch some water, and Obi Wan watched him stride to the door and step outside. When he turned back, Anakin was watching him, a knowing look on his face. He was only fourteen, but he was perceptive, and he and Obi Wan had been learning to read each other _very_ well. While Padmé and Shmi’s backs were turned, he raised his eyebrows and cocked his head in a _have you told him yet?_ gesture. Obi’s face immediately flushed and his stomach turned at the mere thought. He shook his head, and Anakin rolled his eyes, turning away to help Padmé slice the vegetables.

Hiding feelings wasn't Obi Wan’s strong point. Perhaps it came from having a master who seemed to want to challenge the council’s every move, or perhaps he had just failed to grasp how to keep emotions repressed, but whatever it was, he was far more unstable than any of the other Knights at the temple. The council had called him up on it more than once; they told him that he got attached far too quickly and relied too much on his feelings in battle, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't make himself numb. He loved Anakin and Padmé like siblings, and though he knew it was wrong of him, he'd finally admitted to himself that the love he felt for Qui-Gon was more than just the affection a padawan normally feels for their master. Anakin kept insisting that Obi Wan would feel better for letting Qui-Gon know how he felt, but he was terrified of rejection or, even worse, his childish pining having a serious effect on their bond. If that faltered, or even broke, it would crush him.

The suns were climbing steadily higher in the sky, making the hut warmer and warmer until it began to feel like the inside of a furnace. Shmi suggested they move to the main room, where it was coolest, but even then, the heat was getting to Obi Wan and making him feel lightheaded. He barely heard the knock on the door.  
Qui-Gon had returned, slightly out of breath, his hair tied up into a messy bun, carrying a bucket of water in each hand. And maybe it was because he was slightly delirious, or because he’d never seen Qui-Gon with his hair up, but all he could think over and over was that he was so _gorgeous_ , and even when his vision started to blur, his eyes didn't leave Qui-Gon once.

“Ani,” he said, his voice sounding a lot higher out loud than he had meant it to. His heart was pounding at a ridiculous rate. “Ani,” he repeated, stretching out his hand to try and steady himself on his padawan’s shoulder. “I feel a bit faint?”

Anakin barely had time to register his master’s words before his eyes rolled back and he fell sideways onto the floor, landing on his back with a loud thump that caught the attention of everyone else in the room.

“Oh my stars,” Padmé exclaimed, dashing to his side along with Qui-Gon and Shmi, “Obi? Ani, what happened?”

“I don't know,” Anakin said, panicking slightly, “he just said he felt faint then he passed out.”

“I’ll mix up a herbal, see if that can bring him round,” Shmi declared, bolting up and towards the kitchen.

Qui-Gon placed a hand on Obi Wan’s forehead, calm and straight-faced as usual. Then he moved his palm over his mouth, visibly letting out a sigh of relief when he felt a breath.

“Will he be alright?” Anakin asked, watching Qui-Gon with worried eyes.

The reassuring smile Ani received suddenly looked forced. Still, he nodded and carefully propped Obi Wan’s limp form against his knee.

“He’ll be fine,” Qui-Gon assured the two in front of him. “We should move him to softer ground though. And Padmé, would you fetch me some towels and one of the water buckets?”

Padmé nodded quickly and dashed away to the bathroom.

“He can have my bed,” Anakin said as Qui-Gon heaved Obi Wan into his arms and stood with seemingly little effort.

As Qui-Gon carried Obi towards Anakin’s bedroom, Padmé came dashing out of the bathroom with an armful of towels and a bucket in her hand, darting around the two of them and setting the bucket down just as they entered. Anakin and Padmé stood side by side, watching Qui-Gon gently lay Obi Wan down on Ani’s bed, tense with worry. They stood stock still.

“You two go and help Shmi,” he told the pair as he dabbed at Obi Wan’s forehead with a damp towel. “I’ll stay here and watch over him.”

“Will you tell us if he wakes up?” Anakin asked, his eyes wide and concerned.

“Of course,” Qui-Gon promised, and with that, Padmé took Anakin's hand and the two of them left the room.

Once they had disappeared, Qui-Gon turned back to look down at Obi Wan’s still form. It almost looked like he was sleeping; his breathing was regular and soft, his eyes closed gently with his eyelashes resting at the top of his cheeks and his lips slightly parted. His face was a little paler than normal, which made the light dusting of freckles stand out more, but besides that he looked peaceful. Qui-Gon hadn’t seen him look so serene for a long time. Ever since he had started training Anakin, he looked constantly weary, and Qui-Gon could tell he hadn’t been sleeping well. Though their bond was not as sharp or reliable as it had been when Obi was his padawan, he could still feel a sense of restlessness coming from across the temple, and he often caught Obi yawning or dropping his head to his chest for a few moments during talks. Anakin was Obi Wan’s pride and joy, and it wasn’t as if their training hours were excessive, so Qui-Gon was sure he wasn’t causing the trouble. Although, even if he was, Obi Wan would never say anything. He had never been quick to admit when he was under a lot of stress.

Perhaps the heat, combined with his fatigue, had caused him to faint. Hot conditions did not bode well with Obi Wan, and if he was already having sleepless nights, it wasn't out of the question. Worry continued to tug at Qui-Gon’s mind as he continued to carefully wipe at Obi’s temples with the wet cloth, using his spare hand to brush strands of hair off his face as he did. It was growing longer very quickly, Qui-Gon noticed. His fingers paused at the place behind Obi’s left ear where his braid used to be, memories of the not-so-distant past creeping into his head. It occurred to him just how little he saw his former padawan, and the realisation hurt him a little. He had grown to care deeply for him over their years together, despite the rocky start. Perhaps a little more than he should.

Whatever the case, he had to wake Obi Wan up sooner rather than later. He took Obi’s hand and tried reaching out to him through their bond, until he heard a dull buzzing in his head which soon became a low hum. Just as the soft vibrations began to spread through his chest, he felt Obi grasp his hand back and heard a gentle gasp. When he opened his eyes, Obi’s were fluttering open too, and his mouth had opened to a small ‘o’ as he came back to his senses.

“Obi Wan?” Qui-Gon prompted, laying a hand on the side of Obi’s face carefully.

The soft cheek he usually felt was suddenly rough under his palm, and he realised with a start that it was stubble. He couldn't resist brushing his thumb gently along the scratchy surface of his chin. Obi Wan turned to look at him, and suddenly his eyes widened and he rushed to sit upright. Qui-Gon jerked his hand back quickly.

“Qui-Gon!” Obi Wan yelped, flushing a little and putting his hand on his face where Qui-Gon’s hand had been a second before. “What- what happened?”

Qui-Gon cleared his throat before answering.

“You fainted,” he said, “just as I returned. I think the sun really got to you.”

“Oh,” Obi replied, sounding a little breathless. His eyes slowly came fully into focus, and he could clearly see Qui-Gon, his grey eyes full of concern, with wisps of hair that had come loose from his bun framing his face. “The sun. Right.”

Heat crept into his cheeks when he realised the pressure on his knee was Qui-Gon’s hand, and their close proximity made his mouth go dry. There was something familiar about the situation; before Obi Wan graduated, Qui-Gon would always take care of him after particularly rough missions, cleaning his wounds and giving him butterflies with every little touch. It made his chest pang. He missed this; Qui-Gon fussing over him, giving him his warmest smiles, completely ignoring the concept of personal space which Obi didn't mind one bit. They rarely had time to be around each other at all anymore. Without thinking, Obi Wan reached out and found Qui-Gon’s hand with his own, smiling when he felt his former master squeeze back. They would often do this, as a sort of comfort that they were alright.

“How are you feeling now?” Qui-Gon asked, his voice soft, the worry on his face slowly making way for a smile of his own.

“A little lightheaded, still, I suppose,” Obi Wan replied, his voice mercifully normally pitched despite the fact he could still feel himself blushing. “But not too awful.”

“That's good,” Qui-Gon nodded, moving his free hand to feel Obi’s forehead. If he noticed Obi’s breath hitching, he didn't comment on it. “You're still warm, but that's to be expected. Shmi’s making you some sort of herb remedy so I’m sure you'll be fine now.”

“I’m grateful,” Obi Wan said, “to her and to you. You reached me through our bond, didn't you?”

“Yes,” Qui-Gon admitted, glancing down momentarily at their fingers locked together. “It wasn't too hard. It’s still powerful, despite you no longer being my padawan.”

“For now. It may weaken once you take on another,” Obi Wan said, unable to help the bitter tone that edged his words. Qui-Gon merely laughed.

“I doubt it,” he said, shaking his head. “Master Yoda and Master Windu can nag all they want, but I won't be taking on another padawan.”

“You won't?” Obi Wan repeated, feeling shamefully gleeful at this news. He forced himself to hold down the joyous grin.

“No,” Qui-Gon confirmed. “I mean really, after you, who could possibly hope to compare?”

The expression on his face revealed nothing about whether or not he was joking, but it made Obi’s face and neck burn and his heart jump wildly.

“Oh,” was all he managed, and even that was barely above a whisper.

“Anyway,” Qui-Gon said, clasping Obi’s hand in both of his and standing up, “I promised Anakin I'd let him know as soon as you woke up, so I'd better go fetch him.”

“Of course,” Obi nodded, his heart still pounding as Qui-Gon let his hand go. He stayed still, watching him walk towards the main room.

“Oh, by the way,” Qui-Gon said as he reached the doorway, turning to face Obi Wan again. “You should think about growing a beard. It'd suit you.”

As Qui-Gon turned out of the room, Obi smiled to himself, moving his hand up to rub the rough stubble on his chin. He decided he would forgo shaving later on.

x

On Shmi’s orders, Obi Wan stayed in bed for most of the day. After a while, he dozed off again, and when he woke (thanks to Anakin’s insistent concerned prodding through their bond) it was evening. He opened his eyes to see Anakin and Padmé at the foot of the bed muttering to each other, and their faces brightened when they saw him sit up. The three of them chatted for a short while, but as soon as Qui-Gon came in to check on them, Ani and Padmé excused themselves and scampered away, leaving Obi and Qui-Gon by themselves. With a fond smile, Qui-Gon watched them go, then came to sit by Obi Wan.

“How do you feel?” he asked, finding Obi Wan’s hand and taking it in his gently.

“Alright,” Obi told him, his stomach doing flips when Qui-Gon began to brush his thumb over Obi’s knuckles. “A bit hot still, but, yknow-”

“Two suns,” Qui-Gon finished, and Obi nodded. “It was kind of you to offer to bring Ani here. I know you don't like the heat very much.”

“He should see his mother again,” Obi shrugged. “He’s been doing so well in his training, so I thought it would be a nice break.”

“It also gives us a chance to catch up,” Qui-Gon went on. “It’s been a while since I've seen you properly.”

“You've not been round the temple much,” Obi Wan remarked

“No,” Qui-Gon chuckled. “The council seems to think that if they send me on missions all the time they'll tire me out and I’ll let them appoint me with another apprentice.” Before Obi could respond, he had moved his hand up to the side of his face, cradling his cheek and brushing his thumb along his jaw. “I've missed you.”

Every coherent thought left Obi Wan very suddenly, and thinking of a response seemed near impossible. His heart was racing, his face flaring up in record time. They were so close, if Obi Wan just leaned forward a little, he could kiss him. He hoped the heat didn't affect him so badly that he would actually try that, but the thought of it was driving him wild.

“I-I've missed you too,” he finally managed to get out, his mouth suddenly just as dry as the sand outside.

Then, without warning, Qui-Gon did close the gap, pushing his lips gently against Obi’s, and Obi thought he might actually explode. His whole body felt as if it were on fire, and he was far too shocked to move or react properly. It was barely seconds before Qui-Gon pulled back and looked at Obi Wan, who was frozen and tense, his mouth open in a small ‘o’. Qui-Gon visibly deflated, his shoulders slumping and his brows furrowing slightly.

“Sorry,” he said quietly, and he tugged his fingers out of Obi Wan’s grip. Still, Obi could do nothing. “I thought you- nevermind. My apologies.” Even when he stood up, Obi didn't move. “That was inappropriate.”

Every instinct in Obi Wan’s body screamed at him to move, to pull Qui-Gon back, to say _something_ , but his body refused to comply, and Obi merely watched as his former master and lifelong friend moved back towards the door.

After years of quiet pining, daydreaming, lying awake at night thinking about being intimate in all the ways Jedi are supposed to shy away from, the opportunity was being presented to him on a _plate_ , yet all he could do was sit gawking like a fool. His hands were shaking relentlessly; his insides still felt as if they were on fire.

Then something happened. Obi Wan’s body seemed to catch up to his mind and things properly clicked into place, and he was springing off Anakin’s bed and striding the short distance towards Qui-Gon, who had paused at the door. With a renewed, fierce confidence, he grabbed Qui-Gon’s shoulder and tugged him round to face him.

“Save being appropriate for the council,” he said, and pulled Qui-Gon down by the front of his robes and kissed him.

It was rough in a determined, excited sort of way. Qui-Gon responded almost immediately, taking Obi’s hips in his hands and pulling him closer. Obi unclenched his fists and let his palms rest on Qui-Gon’s shoulders, going up slightly onto his tiptoes, his stomach dropping when he heard Qui-Gon sigh softly. There was a fire burning in his chest as Qui-Gon held him and moved his lips tantalisingly slowly against Obi’s own. He was still unsure if this moment was even real. He’d thought about this numerous times, but the real thing was incomparable and his senses were going wild. His knees felt a little weak; he might have fallen were it not for Qui-Gon’s hand on his hips.

Their noses bumped gently they tilted their heads to slightly different angles, each trying to catch every corner, discovering what they'd been missing all this time. Suddenly Obi Wan felt one of Qui-Gon’s hands lift from his hips and come to rest at the back of his head, his fingers tangling in his shaggy hair and chuckling against Obi’s mouth when his breath hitched. That only urged Obi to push up with just a fraction more force, planning to make the most of this moment, kissing him with an enthusiasm he had reserved for the other man. Qui-Gon hummed in appreciation, and all the heat in Obi’s stomach flooded to his head so quickly he thought he might faint again. The hand in his hair was making his head spin.

“Ahem.”

The two of them sprung apart like they had received an electric shock, taking their hands off each other finally and spinning to see Anakin standing in the doorway, eyebrow raised and arms folded.

“Anakin,” Obi Wan breathed out, his face flushing in record time and his heart rate picking up again. “We were, um-”

It was pointless trying to come up with excuses. It was fairly obvious what they had been doing, and Anakin’s smug expression indicated that he was going to ask Obi for _all_ the details later.

“Dinner’s ready,” he said casually, acting totally oblivious. Obi knew better. There was a mischievous gleam in his eyes.

“We’ll be through in a moment,” Qui-Gon told him, sounding surprisingly calm and collected considering he had just been caught red-handed breaking the Jedi code with his former apprentice as a willing partner.

“Take your time,” Anakin grinned. “We’re in no hurry.”

“Anakin!” Obi Wan spluttered, feeling his face go redder, but the boy in question was already turning out of the door, wearing a huge smirk.

“Quite a rascal you're raising there,” Qui-Gon said when he had disappeared, sounding far too amused for Obi’s liking.

“He gets it from you,” Obi complained, his heart still hammering against his chest as he moved his gaze back to his former teacher.

“I don't think so,” Qui-Gon laughed, turning to face Obi. “You were a nasty piece of work yourself when you were his age.”

“Well _I_ probably got that from you too,” Obi argued, scrunching his face up grumpily and folding his arms. Qui-Gon just laughed at him.

“Oh don’t be like that,” he said, leaning down and kissing Obi’s nose gently. “It was endearing.”

Obi rolled his eyes and kissed Qui-Gon quickly again, almost indignantly, but they were both smiling when he pulled back.

“What are we going to do when we get back to the temple?” Obi asked then, a sudden wave of dismay hitting him. One secret just made way for another. “This isn't exactly allowed.”

"Well,” Qui-Gon said slowly, taking Obi’s hand and looking utterly unconcerned, as usual, “you're welcome to visit my quarters any time you like. Maybe I can think of one or two things I haven't taught you yet.”

“You see!” Obi gasped, scandalised, jabbing a finger in Qui-Gon’s face with his free hand. “Anakin _does_ get it from you!”

“Alright, you got me,” Qui-Gon laughed, and Obi couldn't help but join him in smiling. “But really, I'm willing to keep it quiet if you are.”

“You always did enjoy defying the council,” Obi sighed, but he meant it fondly.

“True,” Qui-Gon chuckled, “only if you want to, love.”

“Of course I do,” Obi said quickly, “I want you.”

Qui-Gon didn't say anything in response; his smile got a little wider, and he stood gazing at Obi Wan for a few seconds, with affection in his eyes, before pulling Obi in for another kiss. This one was lingering and sweet, less rushed, their fingers laced together and both of them beaming. Finally Obi pulled back slightly, so his lips were still brushing Qui-Gon’s and their foreheads were still pressed together.

“We should go,” he murmured, eyes still half-closed. “Let’s not give Anakin more reason to be crude.”

With a hum of agreement, Qui-Gon kissed Obi one final time, then pulled back and the two of them turned towards the doorway. They didn't let go of each other’s hands even as they joined the others at the table.

As the two suns dropped lower behind the sandy horizon of Tatooine, the evening grew just slightly cooler, the sky turning a misty purple and stars springing into view in quick succession. A faint bubble of chatter was the only noise cutting into the quiet, with occasional mirthful laughter rising into the air. It was peaceful. In that moment, they were happy.

**Author's Note:**

> find me on [tumblr](http://obiwanlcenobi.tumblr.com) and [twitter](https://twitter.com/obiwanlcenobi) to talk about star wars or just say hi! :3c


End file.
